Gibbs Amphibians Expands Across US

New Zealand-founded Gibbs Amphibians is on track to build 1000 Quadski amphibious all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in 2013 and expects to have more than 100 major powersports dealers authorised to sell and service the Quadski by the end of 2014. Gibbs also plans to announce the selection of its first Michigan dealer this summer. “Our primary focus over the past 12 to 14 months has been a successful Quadski production launch and the establishment of a strong, premium US dealership base, primarily in the Midwest, New York, Texas and the southeastern United States,” communications manager Graham Jenkins said.

The company is recruiting dealers and distributors to support high-speed amphibian export sales in 2014 and will add jobs at its assembly plant as products are added to its lineup. Europe, the Middle East and select markets in the Asia Pacific region are all prospective Quadski export targets in 2014 and beyond. The company plans to launch several new consumer products over the next 18 months and continues to work on commercial and military applications for the vehicle.

Gibbs already has shown two commercial concepts referred to as amphitrucks. The Gibbs Phibian is a 12-passenger high-speed amphibian equipped with twin turbocharged diesel engines. The Humdinga is a smaller amphitruck designed for five-to-seven passengers and equipped with a supercharged V8 engine. “Quadski is the only personal sports amphibian capable of reaching speeds of 45 miles per hour on both land and water,” Jenkins said. “Quadski’s unique retractable suspension provides superb ride-and-handling on land and retracts in seconds after entering water.”

Christchurch-born Alan Gibbs began experimenting with amphibious vehicles in the early 1990s. In 1997 he began to develop the concept in Detroit. In 2004 Richard Branson drove the world’s first road legal, high-speed amphibian, the Gibbs’ Aquada, to break the record for an amphibious crossing of the English Channel.